Push-Start a Comatose Furby

We've all been there. Invert. Jiggle. Shake. Slap. Nothing. When a Furby goes comatose, there seems to be no hope of getting him or her awakened. This Instructable will show the steps to take Furby apart and push start him back to life. This has worked on my own two so far and will likely work for yours, as this seems to be a common problem. After a lot of experimenting and battery changes, I determined the cause for this state is improper parking of the motor that drives furby's mechanisms. Just like a fine industrial robot, Furby cannot start his program properly unless he is parked in the home position. Read on and be sure to look at the photos, and hopefully bring your old friend back to life!

To do this instructable you will need:

A comatose furby (won't wake up or reset)
A hobby knife
A small phillips screwdriver
A small flat screwdriver
A hot glue gun and glue stick
A sewing needle
Thread to match the color of the back of furbys ears.
Scissors
4 Fresh AA batteries

Step 1 Check Furby's Vitals.

First before continuing on, if you haven't done so insert fresh new batteries into Furby, turn him upside down and press the little reset button on the bottom. If this doesn't wake him, remove the batteries, and secure the battery door so it's not in your way. Now check the base of the furby and note it's position. If properly parked, furby should be leaning forward as to sleep. If the base isn't extended from Furby's bottom, this Instructable is for you. Toh Loh is a Rainbow Furby. After an extended period of storage, he has entered the comatose state. Note his position sitting flat on the table. Also note the dazed and confused look on his face. (Yes, I'm looking for his other eyelash).

Comments

[n0saj2600]

AMAZING! I'm just getting into Circuit Bending & Furbys. I ordered a bunch from eBay, some working and some "broken." I just opened one of the broken ones and had it working within a few minutes of reading this tutorial. Thank you so much!!!

[theantiyou]

We have 3 unopened Furby's in our store with this same problem. The Halloween, Christmas, and Valentines Day. All we had to do was replace the batteries and press the bottom/ rocking stand in and out. This with rotate the cam slowly, you will see its eyes close slowly as you feel the stand starting to get stiff like it should be in sleep mode.

Definitely saves the risk of opening it up

[furbyqueen]

Hey this worked for me too. I got a lovely limited edition Spring Furby on ebay that was comatose when it arrived. But I just pumped the bottom stand with the batteries in like you said and it woke up after a couple of minutes. So pleased!

[Bijoou]

I have 3 troubled Furbeys including one donated to an Episcopalian Church run Thrift Shop away because he/she/it was very fouled mouthed. I say Sir, do you make house calls?

[sarlee]

maybe im not strong enough, but how did you push the zip tie without any damage? i have been trying to get past that point but its prooving to be impossible. at least for me. is it suppose to be this hard or am i doing something wrong?

[kvpla]

You Rock!! The little fella WORKS!! :-))) I may regret it but 6 yr old got this for Christmas, brother had it sitting wrapped in package for years, now she can experience a cool toy from the past!!

[Pankake]

Question, I get movement from Furby but no sound. It seems it will respond to sound, light, and being turned over. Any suggestions?

[lambsb]

Also as an afterthought if the furby is "sick" he will sleep a lot until he is well fed and happy. If he was a previously appreciated furby like you say, he's probably been neglected for a while since his last meal. You should try pressing the reset button on the bottom of the base with a pen.

[inikki]

I know this is about a year old, but I just recently aquired a furby this guy had, and found this. I was taking off it's skin when it decided to wake up before me not doing anything else, but he'd only go back to sleep. I let him sleep for awhile(a couple hours) and then tried to wake him back up again. I tried the tongue and jiggling thing but he still went to bed.

I guess it's possible I need better batteries?

[lambsb]

Fresh batteries are a must. I would think if he woke up there probably is no problem. Furbies are a lot like me, they don't like to be woke up in the morning. Sometimes it takes a few tries, or try holding the tongue down and turn Furby upside down. (If I remember correctly that is the official way to wake a furby as published by Tiger Electronics). Good luck with your furby adoption!

[sny1]

Hi, I just bought a brand new unopened Bear Furby off of E-Bay and had the same problem. I was lucky to find your website with instructions and now my Furby is alive and very active. Thanks so much for posting this!! xx

[lambsb]

I am so glad to see all the comments from those whom have had success with this instructable, keeping the furbish community off the endangered species list! I personally have revived 4 to date, not to mention those who have posted here. If the instructable doesn't work for you I'm led to believe something else is wrong with your specimen. I am sorry but I haven't really explored the species in any greater detail to lead you to what might be wrong. Look for loose/corroded wiring etc... and post back.

[thegreenfurby]

I accidentaly broke the zip tie and I can't get my furby back togather, and I can't get him to work either.

[dclark21]

Well, for the zip tie (which I accidently broke myself) I just use thread to substitute for the tie. About your other problem. dunno. I was just following the directions to repair my own Furby.

[dclark21]

Fortunately for me, I had a Coma Furby that used screws to keep the faceplate on instead of glue. I do not own a glue gun. I was happy.

[dclark21]

Thank you! You're instructions saved Meemee, my Christmas Furby! Now my Halloween Furby, Tohloo, won't be lonely anymore. (They just sang themselves to sleep... lol)

[Plastic Panda]

I acquired an adorable orange "Halloween Furby" in an unopened box only to find that she also was comatose. However she emerged from surgery bright and cheery! Thank you for the instructable, without which there would be no Maylah. :)

[tcateon]

OMG@! It worked!

i am so excited.... and yet sad. bc i had a furby i loved who went coma and i got ride of him.

glad i could fix this one for my bff's bday :-)

[cfletcher2]

Started mine.. Worked for a while, went to sleep.. Back in a coma.. So Im trying again. THIS DAMN FURBY WILL NOT WIN!!!

[abriggs451]

my daughter is seven and didnt know what a furby was so i pulled 2 new still in the box out of my closet put in batteries and nothing!! I did the surgery to 1 of them and it was a success! Now my daughter can enjoy them just like i did when they came out! Off to do the other now so they can chit chat!

[jcrowe3]

I got my brand new furby off of Ebay and the same thing happened to me. I put in the batteries and nothing happened. I decided to try this and it worked! Thank you so much for posting this, you're awesome! :)

[ksharp-brown]

Hi! Thanks for these instructions, they workd perfectly, but when my furby turned on, only his mechanical side worked.. he isnt making any sound.. any suggestions??

[nessafly83]

I am so greatful i found this!!! I honestly thought I probably couldnt figure it out but it went so smoothly and my furby started right up with a yawn and a cockadoodle doo! Now my kid brother can have all the fun i had with this toy!Thanks amillion!

[rmaloney]

Hello there, Ive tried this on my grey furby. Once I have the cam in the down posistion, I don't hear the motor pulsating as I turn, so it's not working :( . The batteries are 1.5 v...Any suggestions or other things to look for?

[macatraca]

Worked succesfully in my 1st gen Spanish furby. Thanks!!!

[xgothxgirlx]

I want to try this but i'm quite nervous about breaking the zip tie, because my furby tulu was a limited edition 1999 christmas furby.

It broke my heart when he stopped working ):

[wmire]

You could replace the zip tie if it does break. They are not expensive and you can get them at home depot. You'll have to open the end of the sleeve it sits in, and then stitch it back together by hand, but it isn't hard and won't show... I'm fairly certain this is what they did when they put them together in the factory. When I opened mine, her' s shattered, so i ran a piece of white cotton yarn through the sleeve, tied it tight and trimmed the ends. Good as new!

[jallen2]

Worked great! Other than he sneezes a lot. My Furby also had screws holding his faceplate on(generation 2 giraffe) . So glad that I didn't have to dispose of him. Thanks for the great guide!

[skiel]

thank you for this tutorial i fix my girlfriend furby¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ the speaker was dead :D i don't spend nothing....:D

[toadworshipper]

Thanks so much for posting this I just used it to resurect a NIB Ebay 1999 toy; my first Furbies. Pretty cool I feel like Dr. Frankenstein. If these instructions weren't here & clear this delightfully disgusting toy would probably be needlessly orphaned on the Island of Misfit Toys . . . .

[vlawton]

Thanks a bunch! I was cleaning my basement and came across my old furby. He was doa.

Following these directions and he's back in working order. What I'll do with it, I have no idea, haha... but he works!

Mine is slightly different in that the face plate had 2 screws and a clip holding it in place.... so no need for any glue around the face but the fur around ear openings was glued down instead of clipped. Other than that most of the same directions worked.

[judehargreaves]

Absolutely brilliant guidance. I am not technically minded at all but I have now bought my Furby out of a coma after 12 years in its box! Thank you!

[lambsb]

LOL Sorry I didn't reply yesterday, I would have said it's probably worth the try from what I have noticed most have this same problem. Congrats on the revival!

[judehargreaves]

Hi, I have just found my furby in its box where its been for the last 10 years at least. I have put fresh batteries in but nothing is happening. I've read your tutorial and am tempted to have a go but wonder if it is worth it as the furby is in the tilted forward position. Do u think its worth the effort if this might not be the same problem? Thanks

[engarga]

thanks!! my spanish furby is alive!!

[snowtime500]

Thank you! Perfect directions!

[cinnyswirls]

Worked flawlessly on a new furby bought from eBay. Thank you so much for posting this tutorial!

[chelseatheheart]

I bought a Furby from Goodwill today and he wasn't working...i did your tutorial up to the part where you turn the gears and it's not working. I've been turning it to the right for over an hour. :/ Any help

[lambsb]

Hmmm sorry to hear you're having trouble. The main thing is to have good batteries in Furby when you're turning the gear. Of course there is a possibility that there is something else wrong with your furby. This instructable is for those that have sat on the base so long they've lost their "home" position and therefore won't start normally.

[chelseatheheart]

I bought a Furby from Goodwill today and he wasn't working...i did your tutorial up to the part where you turn the gears and it's not working. I've been turning it to the right for over an hour. :/ Any help?